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April 5, 2018 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee 1 Our Focus is to Make You Comfortable QualityACokee.com 467-1545 0% Financing LIC NO. CAC029420 Thursday, April 5, 2018 Vol. 90, No. 14 50 plus tax 13.81 feetLast Year: 12.46 feet Lake LevelsSource: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level EAA Reservoir plan sent to Corps of Engineers ... Page 2 See page 3 for information about how to contact this newspaper.gladescountydemocrat.com Glades at a Glance ... Page 3 CR 721 to casino gets new striping ... Page 3 the Pulpit ... Page 5 Crossword ... Page 11 Special to the Glades County Democrat A Moore Haven man died from injuries sustained in an April 1 crash. A Florida Highway Patrol news release stated that at approximately 10 p.m., a 2008 Honda GoldWing motorcycle operated by Walter Lewis, 71, of Moore Haven was traveling westbound on U.S. 27 just east of State Road 80 in Hendry County. As the mo torcycle entered the right curve, it went off the road into the south grass median. The motorcycle overturned, projecting Mr. Lewis from the motorcycle. The motorcycle came to a nal rest in the grass median. It was reported that Mr. Lewis died from injuries sustained in the crash. He had not been wearing a helmet. The accident was investigated by Corpo ral Rhian Sutherland, crash investigator and homicide investigator. Motorcycle crash kills driver Special to the Glades County Democrat The Glades Education Foundation was awarded a 2018 Community Impact Grant from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation for $40,000 to continue nancing the AVID about Success program. The Glades Education Foundation was one of 20 local nonprots awarded grants from the community foundations Field of Interest funds given by donors in their estate plans for specic causes. This year, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation awarded over $539,000 to both established and new programs that are designed to increase the quality of life in sustainable and equitable ways for Southwest Floridians. The Glades Education Foundation joins other nonprots that were also awarded Community Impact Grants, such as: Center for Progress and Excellence, Florida Gulf Coast University and the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, Florida Department of Health in Charlotte, Family Health Centers of SWFL, Valeries House, Keep Lee County Beautiful, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, Gulf Coast Partnership, Keiser University, Womens Foundation of SWFL, Legal Aid Services of Collier County, Capital Good Fund, The Heights Center, Lee County Alliance for the Arts, Jewish Family and Community Services, Family Initiative Incorporated, LARC Inc. and Lee County Domestic Animal Services. We are so pleased to welcome this amazing group of nonprots to our 2018 tribe, said Sarah Owen, Southwest Florida Community Foundation president and CEO. These relationships are true partnerships, and we Education Foundation awarded Community Impact Grant Special to the Glades County Democrat/Maple Grove BaptistMaple Grove Baptist Easter Sunrise ServiceMaple Grove Baptist Church in Lakeport hosted its annual Sonrise service Easter Sunday morning, April 1, at Har ney Pond Canal. Pastor Scott Garvin of Maple Grove led the service with wife Patty leading the music. Cindy Suggs of Okeechobee provided accompaniment on guitar. The church had a record number of 103 attending and served a pancake breakfast at the church following the service.See GRANT Page 4

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2 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee April 5, 2018 By Katrina ElskenINI Florida Plans for the proposed Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir continue to move forward. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has submitted its plan to build the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir for federal approval. If approved, the EAA reservoir will be built as part of the congressionally approved Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP). This change to the CEPP plans was submitted to the assistant secretary of the Army for civ il works on March 26, in accordance with state law. Before it is submitted to Congress for authorization, the U.S. Army Corps of Engi neers must approve the plan and determine that it complies with federal law. Congres sional authorization is necessary to make the project eligible for federal funding. The proposed EAA Storage Reservoir will meet the goals set forth by the Florida Legis lature when it passed Senate Bill 10 in 2017, according to SFWMD ofcals: It will reduce damaging discharges to the northern estuar ies, deliver clean water for Everglades resto ration and achieve water quality standards. After many months of hard work by district staff, this is a momentous day for the future of the Everglades and for all who call South Florida home, said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan OKeefe. This agency has done its job and created a plan that combines sound science with public feedback to achieve the goals and objectives of state law. Its now up to our federal partners to carry the momentum on southern storage. Together with authorized projects, the reservoir plan will send an annual average of approximately 370,000 additional acrefeet of clean water south to the Everglades. The water quality will be required to meet to the nutrient levels set by the Department of Environmental Protection. The plan will also reduce the number of damaging discharge events from Lake Okeechobee to the northern estuaries by 63 percent when used in conjunction with authorized projects, according to SFWMD reports. The additional ows south to the Everglades will be treated in a new 6,500-acre Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) in com Bbination with existing STAs and Flow Equalization Basins (FEBs), such as the A-1 FEB, to achieve state water quality standards. The reservoir will store 240,000 acre-feet of water on the 10,100-acre site comprised of the district-owned A-2 parcel and lands to the west as identied in Senate Bill 10. The net increase in cost over the currently authorized CEPP is $1.1 billion. The total cost of the authorized CEPP, with the addition of the EAA reservoir is $3.17 billion. The reservoir plan was approved by the SFWMD Governing Board on March 8 and submitted to the Assistant Secretary of the Army along with an independent peer review that found the plan to be technically sound. After the project is funded by Congress, it will take about 8 years to complete with three years estimated for engineering and ve years estimated for construction. Some environmental groups initially opposed the EAA reservoir alternative chosen by SFWMD, but following approval by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, groups including the Everglades Foundation, Audubon Florida, the Snook and Gamesh Foundation, the Everglades Trust, the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and the J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Society wrote a letter in support of the reservoir plan. The EAA Reservoir is one step closer to becoming a reality, said Julie Wraithmell, Audubon Floridas interim executive director. With a tentatively selected plan in hand that sends needed clean water south, we urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make reviewing this project a top priority. To read the full report or for modeling data and more information on the previously held public meetings, including agendas and presentations, visitsfwmd.gov/eaareservoir. EAA reservoir plan sent to Corps of Engineers A continuing series TRUTH By Katrina ElskenINI Florida At the March 16 meeting of the County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston City Commis sioner Phillip Roland asked the board to step back in time with him as he shared memo ries of Lake Okeechobees past. I am 24 years old and I get out of the service, and thats 1964, he began. Im shing off the end of the reef out in front of Moonshine and I see this green glare on the water, and I dont know what the hell it is. I keep looking at it. So I ride out in my boat and to look at this green stuff, never seen it on the lake. It was the rst time I saw a green algae bloom. Now this is before spraying, but my dad had informed me in 1960 when I went in the service and the Kissimmee was cut in that year, and the Indian Prairie and the Harney Pond, the triple canal system as they call it, that they had just ruined his lake his lake, because he shed it seven times a week. To think back, this is before any spraying was done on the lake. No spraying. When I was 30 years old, there was no spraying done on the lake. And then it starts with a four-boat operation run by the Corps of En gineers. Then, go forward 10 years, and South Florida Water Management has taken over, and its six boats. Six boats, spraying on the lake. Today we have 20 boats, 20 boats spraying almost every day that they can get out that the wind doesnt stop them. A sustained wind of 12 mph, they dont spray. They spray most every day on that lake. This is 20 boats spraying poison on that lake. If you cut a diagonal line across the lake, one part is sand, the other part is basically muck. The sand that I can sh and I guided the rst time when I was 13 years old but all up the shoal was sand. Today you sh the sand, you dont see sand. There is a black silt on that sand. You dont see sand. You get back up in shallows, back in the Monkey Box, back off Harney Pond; in there, you can see bottom, but its not sand. There is something else on that sand. Today, we have lost our shery around Clewiston, theres no shery, he said. I went with a biologist the other day because I had raised the devil with the girl who is in charge of the spraying on the lake, he continued. Her boss came down. We went out on the lake, he said. We went to an area called Coot Bay. I almost cried. It was solid mud bottom, oating tussocks of mud. I did get them to agree to cut the old trails that will help ush the bottom of the lake, but I am telling you the spraying that is going on the lake, he said. The spraying is destroying the habitat for the sheries, he said. Commissioner Roland asked the coalition to support the resolution to limit spraying of non-native aquatic. That resolution we adopted is asking them to spray three months out of the year, and not spray nine months out of the year, said Mr. Roland. Nine months out of the year, you have bedding sh, whether its bass, specks, brim or shellcracker. Mr. Roland asked the members of the coalition to take the resolution back to their counties and for discussion. He also asked the 16-county coalition to consider adoption of the resolution at a future meeting. Limits called for on aquatic spraying Special to INI Florida/ SFWMDThese volumes comprise the Central Everglades Planning Project Post Au thorization Change Report submitted today by SFWMD to the U.S. assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, seeking federal authorization to build the Everglades Agricultural Area Stor age Reservoir.

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April 5, 2018 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee 3 Published byGlades County DemocratServing Eastern Glades County Since 1923 To Reach Us Address: c/o Okeechobee News. 107 SW 17th St. Ste D., Okeechobee, Fl 34974 Website: gcdnews.comTo Submit Newse Glades County Democrat welcomes submissions from its readers. Opinions, calendar items, stories, ideas and photographs are welcome. Call (863) 763-3134 to reach our newsroom. Items may be mailed, faxed or emailed. e deadline for all news items is 12 p.m. Monday prior to the following ursday's publication. Email: gdcnews@newszap.com........................................................................To Place A Display Ad Call (863) 763-3134, deadline for all advertising is 12 p.m. Monday for the following ursday's publication. E-mail: southlakeads@newszap.com To Place A Classied Ad Call (877)353-2424 to place a classied advertisement from home. e deadline for all advertising is 12 p.m. Monday for the following ursday's publication. Fax: 1-877-354-2424 E-mail: classads@newszap.com Advertising Billing Department E-mail: billteam@newszap.com To Start or Stop A PaperPhone: (800) 282-8586 E-mail: readerservices@newszap.com e Glades County Democrat is delivered by mail or subscribers on ursday and is sold in racks and store locations in the Glades County area.Call (800)282-8586 to report a missed newspaper or poor delivery. Glades County Democrat USPS 117920 Published Weekly by Independent Newspapers, Inc. for $39.00 per year including tax. Periodical Class postage paidPublisher: Katrina Elsken Advertising: 863-763-3134E-mail: okeeadsales@newszap.comWe Pledge ... To operate this newspaper as a public trust. To help our community become a better place to live and work, through our dedication to conscientious journalism. To provide the information citizens need to make their own intelligent decisions about public issues. To report the news with honesty, accuracy, objectivity, fearlessness and compassion. To use our opinion pages to facilitate community debate, not to dominate it with our own opinions. To disclose our own conicts of interest or potential conicts to our readers. To correct our errors and to give each correction to the prominence it deserves. To provide a right to reply to those we write about. To treat people with courtesy, respect and compassion.Member of By Chris FelkerGlades County Democrat The 15-mile stretch of Glades County Road 721, aka Reservation Road, that runs from State Road 70 on the north to State Road 78 on the south and carries most trafc traveling to the Seminole Brighton Casino, soon will be restriped to make it safer, especially after dark. This is something we have been working on. (Public Works Director Jerry) Randolph has been working hard to get prices, and did get two quotes, County Manager Paul Carlisle told the Glades County Board at its meeting Tuesday, March 26. The two bids came from True Lines Inc. of Palm City ($65,125) and Steffen & Sons Striping LLC of West Palm Beach ($48,344). The latter company happens to be doing a similar project for the Village of Wellington and was so close, Mr. Carlisle said, that he recommended that the commissioners accept Steffen & Sons bid and allow him to execute a piggyback contract on the Wellington work with that company. Weve worked with this contractor in the past, and it is the low bidder and meets our criteria, and this was competitively bid, he told the county commissioners. County Commission Chairman John Ahern said hed been at the Brighton Friday sale and coming back ... I think it needs it. The commission approved the contract on a 5-0 vote. On another matter, Mr. Carlisle reported that several complaints recently had been received about unusually strong odors in the vicinity of the compost plant thats on the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation, north of old Lakeport. Mr. Ahern said that on one recent foggy morning, he detected odd smells in the air in Moore Haven that may also have been from the plant. It just depends on which way the winds blowing. Sometimes its from the landll, he said. The Lakeport Community Association was scheduled to meet Tuesday night, April 3, at 7 p.m. in the community center at Red Barn and Old Lakeport roads. A representative of the compost opera tion was invited to be a guest speaker and take questions, association board secretary Melissa Hines said, noting that shes heard multiple complaints about a stench emanat ing from the compost plant. CR 721 to casino gets new striping American Legion meetsThe Moore Haven American Legion Post 299, 600 River Road in Moore Haven (on the south side of the Caloosahatchee River), will meet on Friday, April 6 at 6 p.m., in the Post Building at 600 River Road (on the southerly side of the Caloosahatchee River). A courtesy dinner will be provided by a legion member. All veterans and all other interested persons are encouraged to attend and participate. For information, call Kirby Sullivan at 863-946-2556.BHR VFW hosts dinnerThe Buckhead Ridge VFW Post 9528, 29012 State Road 78 West in Buckhead Ridge. will serve dinner on Friday, April 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.. Grilled boneless rib eye steak, grilled pork tenderloin, fried sh and shrimp, baked and french fried potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, onion rings, salad and desert. Live music by Crystal. Proceeds go to homeless veterans. For information, call 863-467-2882.VFW to host breakfastThe Buckhead Ridge VFW is serving a full breakfast on Sunday, April 8, 8:30-11 a.m., at VFW Post 9528, 29012 SR 78 W. in Buckhead Ridge, to benet homeless veterans. For information. call 863-467-2882.Free HIV testing April 10 is tagged as National Youth HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). People 1324 years old account for about 22 percent of the new HIV infections in the U.S.A. and 51 percent of those dont know that they are infected and are least likely to be in care if infected. The Florida Department of Health in Glades County, 1021 Health Park Drive in Moore Haven, will offer free HIV testing for anyone on Tuesday, April 10 from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 p.m. Stop HIV. Know your status. Get tested.Senator to hold mobile hoursThe staff of State Sen. Denise Grimsley (R-Lake Placid) will have mobile ofce hours on Tuesday, April 10, to assist constituents with state agency concerns. Staff will be at the Glades County Courthouse, 500 Ave. J S.W. in Moore Haven, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and at the Okeechobee Chamber of Commerce, 55 S. Parrott Ave. in Okeechobee, from 1 to 2 p.m. Our ofce is on the road to provide services in person to those who need help, said Sen. Grimsley.AMVETS serves dinnerThe Sons of AMVETS are hosting John Gallaghers chicken francese dinner on Wednesday, April 11, at 5 p.m., at Buckhead VFW Post 9528, 29012 SR 78 W. in Buckhead Ridge, to benet veteran services. For information, call 863-467-2882.Benet serves BBQA Benet BBQ for the Patterson family will be held on Friday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conner Building on U.S. 27 in Moore Haven. BBQ pork sandwich, coleslaw and baked beans for a do nation of $8. Proceeds will go to the family. Anyone wishing to donate or help is more than welcome to. Bob-B-Que will be cooking the pork. Tickets can be purchased at the Glades County EOC, 1097 Health Park Drive in Moore Haven, from Kari West, Susan Whidden, Aletris Farnam, Lenice Hubbard, Alisha Cockram, or by calling 863-946-6020. Pickup is available and delivery options available upon reqeust depending on the location and amount ordered.BHR VFW hosts dinnerThe Buckhead Ridge VFW Post 9528, 29012 SR 78 W.. in Buckhead Ridge, is serving dinner on Friday, April 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at VFW Post 9528. Grilled boneless rib eye steak, grilled pork tenderloin, fried sh and shrimp, baked and french fried potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, onion rings, salad and desert. Live music by Lisa. Proceeds to homeless veterans. For information, call 863-467-2882.AA to meet The Lakeport Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group invites the public to their open meetings held on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Point of Life Fellowship, 15399 S.R. 78 E. in Okeechobee. For information, call 863634-3104.Audubon has speaker LABELLE On Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Nancy Laframboise, a licensed bird bander, will present Bird Banding 101 and Painted Bunting Research at the Dallas Townsend Agricultural Extension, 1085 Pratt Blvd. in LaBelle. For information about Hend ry-Glades Audubon or STA 5/6 Bird Trips, contact Butch Wilson at 863-983-2870 or Margaret England at 863-517-0202 or visit www.hendrygladesaudubon.org or Face book at Hendry-Glades Audubon. Glades at a Glance MOORE HAVEN SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is currently in need of volunteers for Glades County. SHINE is part of a national volunteer program that provides free and unbiased counseling services to Medicare beneciaries. SHINE counselors help seniors to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage. Since the SHINE programs inception in 1993, SHINE volunteers have helped Florida seniors and their caregivers save millions of dollars. SHINE counselors bring peace of mind to those who need guidance in understanding and accessing health insurance options. For more information on how you can become a trained volunteer Medicare counselor, please call the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Floridas Helpline at 1-866-413-5337 or visit www.Florida SHINE.org. SHINE is seeking volunteers

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4 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee April 5, 2018 Special to the Glades County Democrat Dunkin Donuts is proud to announce the launch of its 2018 Dunkin Donuts South/ Southwest Florida Scholarship Program, which will award $15,000 in scholarships to high school seniors across Palm Beach Treasure Coast, Greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Greater Fort Myers-Naples areas. In partnership with Scholarship America, the nations largest designer and manager of education support programs, Dunkin Donuts will award $1,000 scholarships to 15 current high school seniors who plan to enroll full-time at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire 2018-2019 academic year. Scholarship recipients are selected based on their positive academic record, demonstrated leadership skills and active participation in both school and community activities. Applications for the 2018 Dunkin Do nuts South/Southwest Florida Scholarship Program will be accepted through May 1. Applicants must reside in one of the following counties in South/Southwest Florida to be eligible: Glades, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, Monroe, Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hend ry and Desoto. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.scholarsapply.org/ddonuts-. About Dunkin Donuts Founded in 1950, Dunkin Donuts is Americas favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/ avored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and mufn categories. Dunkin Donuts has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 11 years running. The company has more than 12,400 restaurants in 46 countries world wide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin Do nuts is part of the Dunkin Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDo nuts.com. are grateful to our donors that make these grants possible. Generous people who care deeply about the region want to be certain that nonprots serving their causes have the resources they need to create change and opportunity in Southwest Florida. AVID, which stands for Achievement Via Individual Determination, is a re search-based program that provides ca reer and college-readiness skills, college planning and tutoring to students who need additional assistance to meet their goals. AVIDs stated mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. AVID strategies are being taught in fourth through 10th grades at Moore Haven Elementary School, West Glades School, Pe mayetv Emahakv Charter School and Moore Haven Middle High School. During the elementary grades, students are taught ways to become better organized learners through the use of a regimented binder system with learning materials close at hand. AVID becomes an elective during the middle and high school years, when students have to apply to be part of the pro gram. Potential AVID students should be willing to work hard, challenge themselves with advanced-placement and honors classes, and be ready to get on the college track to make their dreams a reality. Once they are accepted in the program, students learn more about organizational skills, note-tak ing, collaborating with peers and tutoring from peers and college students for difcult subjects. Middle and high school students also visit college campuses and learn about nancial aid for college and how to navigate the college application process. AVID is not just another program at its heart, AVID is a philosophy: Hold students accountable to the highest standards, provide academic and social support, and they will rise to the challenge. (avid.org) The Glades Education Foundation, established in 2013, is striving to have enough teachers trained through the AVID Summer Institute program for AVID strategies to be implemented districtwide. The Glades Education Foundation supports AVID and many other enrichment programs for the Glades County School District, including literacy programs, classroom grants, technology funding and support of cultural endeavors. For more information, visit gladeseducationfoundation.org. The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created more than 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, the foundation invested $5.4 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of $115 million, it has provided more than $71 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee Countys Sustainability Plan. Currently, the Southwest Florida Community Foundations regional headquarters are located off College Parkway in South Fort Myers, with satellite ofces located on Sanibel Island, in LaBelle (Hendry County) and downtown Fort Myers. GRANTContinued From Page 1 By Raye DeusingerBHR Community Association A wonderful evening of food, laughter and information took place before a crowd of 61 at the March meeting of the Buckhead Ridge Community Association. We urge all residents to come out and help determine the direction of your community. This meeting on the last Thursday of each month begins with a potluck supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by information, discussion and decisions. A new director of the association board was announced. She is Karen Charest, who assumed ofce immediately. Glades County Sheriff Dave Hardin opened the business portion with his report of crime events in the community. The 79 calls for service during March included only four property crimes, one burglary, one theft and one criminal mischief. The remaining calls were for service to the community. A GCSO unit currently patrols BHR twice a day. Glades County Commissioner Tim Stanley spoke about the closing of the Hope Connections ofce, saying that those who need meals should contact Hope Connections. Talks are continuing with United Way about setting up some service facilities to handle local needs. There will be a citizens meeting with United Way in May, the date of which will be announced. Those willing to volunteer with such a facility are urged to contact Commissioner Stanley. Mr. Stanley also recognized the 16 years of service that Hope Connections employee and Buckhead Ridge resident Bonnie Shop gave to the community serving meals and providing companionship and activities to those who used the facility. He said a representative from Hope Connections will be at the April meeting to speak and answer questions. Mr. Stanley also reported that until the end of the dry season, citizens are urged to conserve water. Glades County requires that sprinklers be run no more than three days a week, before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Odd -numbered addresses are asked to water on Monday, Wednesday and Satur day; even-numbered addresses on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. It was reported that the cleared area on the west side of State Road 78 along the Kissimmee River is a work area for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state workers who will be replacing culvert structures as part of the continuing work on the river. It was announced that the August meet ing of the association will be the third Thurs day, Aug. 16, instead of the last Thursday of the month. This exception to traditional meeting days is to gather information prior to the Aug. 28 primary. Those who would like to receive a vote-by-mail ballot are ad vised to contact Elections Supervisor Aletris Farnham at 863-946-6005. Political candi dates will be able to address the community at that meeting. In response to a complaint reported by Jim Gillette, Mosquito Control Board mem ber Mary Lou Raab announced the recent work contracted by the board, of a worker to trim the trees along canals in Buckhead Ridge to aid navigation. It was reported that both one mosquito spray truck and the air boat used for spraying are both out of ser vice. Work on the airboat is already under way, and work on the trucks sprayer will begin soon. Spray chemicals used by the board are paid for through a state grant. Spraying was also hindered this past month due to high winds. The board urges residents to call them at 763-7840 to report mosquitoes or other spraying needs. Ms. Raab said they cannot know the need if no one calls. When calling, please leave your phone number and street address so they know where to respond. The next Buckhead Ridge Community Association meeting will be Thursday, April 26. For further information, contact Daryl Lewis at 467-1762. News from Buckhead Ridge Dunkin Donuts to award $15,000 in scholarships Special to the Okeechobee News GAINESVILLE A new plant pops up in your yard is it a weed? Its all in the eye of the beholder, says a lawn and garden expert with the University of Florida. A weed is simply a plant growing out of place, said Wendy Wilber, state Master Gar dener coordinator for UFs Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. What we might consider a weed in the garden might be a welcomed sight else where, a fact that was recognized on Weed Appreciation Day, March 28. There are a lot of beautiful weeds we call them wildflowers or native plants. A wildflower growing on the side of the road is very much appreciated. We know they attract pollinators and are good for the eco system, Ms. Wilber said. Weeds resilience can also earn our begrudging respect. Weeds sometimes will surprise you, Ms. Wilber said. Theyll show up in a sidewalk crack or the middle of a parking lot. Sometimes we have to admire the weeds for their persistence. But if weeds are causing problems for desired plants in the landscape, there are ways to prevent them. Common weeds in Florida turfgrass include yellow woodsorrel, dollar weed, dichondra, crabgrass, nutsedge, and the spurges. They often move into a turf thats unhealthy or has gaps in it. Weed seeds will find a place to germinate in the sparse areas of the lawn, Ms. Wilber explained. One of the ways we can prevent weeds is by growing a healthy, dense turf the weed seeds cant fall into and germinate. UF: Not all weeds are bad

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April 5, 2018 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee 5 Easter: Not over never over, after all!The Reverend Samuel S. Thomas, Ph. D.+Saint Martins Church, Clewiston Is the glass half-empty or half-full? Depends on how you look at it. Either answer is a possibility but is one choice better than the other? Yes! The Easter story is the reason for hope and af rmation of our reasons to believe. I share with persons whom I encounter those reasons for hope and the reasons for optimism. One of my favorite stories is about a swimmer who attempted to swim the English Channel, a distance of 17 miles. After swimming 15 miles, the swimmer decided it was just too far and turned around to swim back. Half-empty when it so easily could have been half-full! During my academic experiences, many who were working on doctoral degrees had all of the requirements nished except for their dissertations, They were known as the ABDs and many never nished. Unlike undergraduate programs, credits expire after a given number of years in graduate degree programs. Ive met people who would tell me theyre working on nishing but began to have credits expire; never nishing because the requirements kept rising and rising when they did not meet deadlines. The Easter story is about people who were at rst disappointed, over-whelmed, persecuted, and then something happened. The disciples and followers found out that it was all true. They had seen Jesus. On the Easter sabbath, Matthew tells us (chapter 28:1ff) that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. It was guarded but an earthquake moved the stone and the guards were afraid (v. 4). There was an angel who told the women Do not be afraid (v. 5) I know that you seek Jesus who was cruci ed. He is not here, for He has risen. The cup is half-full after all. The reason for hope and the af rmation of what they were led to believe has taken place. A call for action followed. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; there you will see Him. Lo, I have told you (v. 7). When something good happens, we are called to share, to act, to respond. The fear that overwhelmed them was now accompanied with great joy (v. 8) and their call to action was to share their good news, meeting with His disciples. Jesus meets them and tells them Himself Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me (v. 10). Now, doubts and pessimism, negativity and despair have been overcome. Some of Jesus enemies made efforts to explain away what had happened; their response was to Tell people His disciples came and stole Him away while we were asleep (v. 13). Those who believed, though saw a risen Lord and not a dead body! Jesus spoke, gave His great commission to those who followed: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. When something good happens we are called to respond; share our good news, help others nd what we have found, live a different and better life, act on the blessings we receive. Jesus called His followers to act, but with a promise too; I am with you always, to the close of the age(v.20). We can now have Jesus with us, Hes only a prayer away, Hes still with us when we ask WWJD?, Hes with us when we look to Him in dif cult moments, Hes with us whenever we need Him. The glass is no longer half-empty or halffull; its over owing with the living waters in baptism and life. He has risen, the Lord has risen indeed! Re ections from the Pulpit Freda Margaret Teaster HerrmannMarch 9, 1938 April 3, 2018 CLEWISTON Freda peacefully separated from this life on an ear ly Spring morning and is now asleep in Christ. A smoky mountain girl at heart, she was always ready to share with pride where she was from and passed those memories and ancestry on to her fam ily through the tradition of story-tellin. Many of those stories included her experiences working at the Parkway Market in Gatlinburg, and of the life in Elkmont where she lived and worked as a caretaker for Mrs. Townsend, as well as her earlier memories as a child spent in the mountains, and long as she could she went back home to East Tennessee to visit kin and share in homecomings and Decoration Day. Even though her heart was big for Tennessee she spent the majority of her years here in Florida making it her permanent residence. She was previously employed by the Handy store in Moore Haven and went on to work for Hendry General (Regional) Hospital in Clewiston in the business ofce including holding the position of business manager for a duration. Freda was predeceased by her mother, Josie Ownby Teaster; her father, Clifford C. Teaster; her brother, Clifford C. Teaster; her brother, Clyde V. Teaster; and sister, Verl Morrison. She is survived by her son, Gary L. Moore (Linda) of Clewiston; granddaughter, Wendy Walker (Robert, Jr.) of Deland; grandson, Gary Leon Moore (Kendall); and two great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Dylan of Clarksville, Tenn. Freda is also survived by her brothers, Von Teaster (Etheleen), and Rex Teaster (Jean) of Seiverville, Tenn. She will be laid to rest at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Clewiston, after a funeral at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018 at Akin-Davis Funeral Home with Pastor Troy Ezell ofciating. Visitation will be one hour before the service held at the funeral home. Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home Clewiston. Special to INI Florida MIAMI Since amingos were hunted to extinction by 1900, American amingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) seen in Florida since that time were a conundrum. Should they be considered native species returning to their historic range from breeding populations elsewhere? Are they escapees from captive populations? A group of researchers that includes top scientists from Audubon Floridas Everglades Science Center put that question to rest in a paper published in February by the American Ornithological Society. Modern searches and analysis by researchers strongly indicate that amingos seen today in Florida should be considered a naturally occurring, native species to Florida. Long heralded as an icon of the Sunshine State, American amingos seen in recent decades once were thought by many researchers to be simply escaped captive birds. The new study argues that they are pioneers recolonizing their historic range and should be considered part of Floridas native fauna. The research group analyzed historical evidence of American amingos in Florida from narrative accounts and museum records and contrasted that information to sightings of the pink bird. They concluded that American amingos once occurred naturally in large ocks in Florida prior to being extirpated by hunting in 1900. Observations since 1950 add up to 500 observations of amingos in Florida with an increase in frequency and ock size over time. The overwhelming record of evidence support our conclusions that amingos are part of our native fauna, said Dr. Jerry Lorenz, state director of research for Audubon Florida. The good news is that many habitats we believe critical to the success of the species are already protected. Everglades National Park along with southern Floridas complex of national wildlife refuges are the primary areas that supported amingos in the past. Continuing restoration efforts in Americas Everglades to get the water right for all of Floridas iconic wading birds will also translate into a bright future for the American amingo in Florida. The special partnership between state and federal agencies to restore Americas Everglades is the key to the future of the hundreds of wading birds that depend on this ecosystem. Now it is also the key for the recovery of Floridas long-lost icon, the American amingo. Dr. Lorenz, encouraged by the new ndings, said: State and federal agencies have worked in tandem for years to protect vital coastal wetlands and restore Americas Everglades. The ndings of this study should help convince policymakers to advance restoration efforts to rehydrate Everglades National Park and Florida Bay and properly fund the management of our national wildlife refuges. Wouldnt it be a great economic boon to have amingos be a common sight in the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park like they were prior to 1900?! The study was conducted by Stephen Whitman and Frank Ridgley from Zoo Miami, Dr. Jerry Lorenz and Pete Frezza from Audubon Floridas Everglades Science Center, Anne Maduro from Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Judd Patterson from the National Park Service and Antonio Pernas from Big Cypress National Preserve. Researchers nd American amingos are native to Florida Special to INI Florida/Audubon SocietyFlamingos seen are pioneers recolonizing their historic range and should be considered part of Floridas native fauna, according to Florida Audubon researchers.

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6 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee April 5, 2018 117 S. BOND ST, CLEWISTON FL 33440 | 863-983-8166 | Fri sat 9AM 6PM 5 % 10 % 15 % 20 % 25 % Seventh and eighth grades: Daniel Reyes, Joshua Green, Veronica Tovar, Ivan Perez. Kindergarten through fourth grades: Leland Pascual, Andrea Madrid, Wy att Miller, Avery Perkins, Juan Molina Hernandez, Marcos Villafuerte. Not pictured: Emily Garcia-Linares. Fifth and sixth grades: Brenda Comi, Heather Diaz, Ismael Alonso-Juarez, Angel Jaime, Landon Johnson, Kier ston Mudge. Students receive BUGS awardsThe following West Glades students received the BUGS award (Brought Up Grades) for bringing up tw letter grades in two different subjects without going down.Special to the Glades County Democrat/West Glades School Special to the Glades County Democrat/West Glades SchoolJr. Beta Club students compete in leadership summitA group of West Glades Jr. Beta Club students traveled to Jekyll Island in Georgia during the week of March 26 to participate and compete in the student leadership summit. The students gained knowledge of leadership roles and responsibilities, as well as the importance of teamwork. The summit hosted guest speakers Ted Wise and Bill Cordes, who offered lessons in stepping up and becoming a leader. After the session, the students competed in the Rapid Response Competition along with many other schools. West Glades students did an outstanding job and qualied to compete at the national level this summer. Congratulations on a job well done. The Rapid Response Team members are Harley Collins, Brooke Collins, Madison Kinney, Mya Pagan and Carmen Perez.

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April 5, 2018 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee 7 By Chris FelkerGlades County Democrat Nature Conservancy Magazines Spring 2018 edition announces a recently estab lished conservation easement on some Glades County land along the northern bank of the Caloosahatchee River, in an area where a female Florida panther was seen last year with two kittens. That was the rst sighting in more than 40 years, according to wildlife agency ofcials. An easement established in October for the 460-acre Cypress Creek Grove property, owned by Falcon Eyrie Farms LC, marks a bundle of rsts for the Nature Conservancy (NC), which already protects, controls or owns several parcels in Florida including the Blowing Rocks Preserve on Jupiter Island. This conservation easement forever safe guards the land from urban development. Cypress Creek Grove is the rst working citrus farm in the state to commit to protec tion of the endangered panther by helping to establish corridors, or pathways, connecting the felines habitat and enhancing the pan ther populations long-term recovery and survivability, the NC says. Fewer than 200 of the endangered cats are estimated to remain in the states wildlands, and they continue to be threatened by loss of habitat, development on their rangelands and vehicle strikes. It is also the rst protected tract of land within the identied panther corridor north of the river, and the rst conservation easement in that corridor nanced entirely by NC member donations. The property is within an area that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have reported is important to panther habitat connectivity and expansion, according to the NC. The animal requires wide territory to support a healthy breeding population, and suitable lands in Glades and Hendry counties link panthers larger Southwest Florida habitat with wild areas north of the Caloosahatchee. Now, expanded habitat is just a brief swim away for the cats south of the river, as Cypress Creek Grove is directly across the Caloosahatchee from the 1,257-acre Lone Ranger Forge/American Prime property. It is also protected by a conservation easement with the NC and other ones with state and federal agencies. The southern border of that land abuts the 1,527-acre Black Boar Ranch, which is under NC easement pro tection as well with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Those three easements ensure into perpetuity that 3,244 acres of prime Florida panther habitat remain intact. Also, on the northern end, the panther pathway leads into lands identied for future conservation by the Florida Forever program, including an area directly connected that is high on that programs priority list for acquisition, the NC says. The Nature Conservancy has been working for more than 20 years to create a connected, protected corridor that can support Florida panther recovery, said Temperince Morgan, executive director of the NC in Florida. Cypress Creek Grove is a key piece of the mosaic of natural and working lands that make up the corridor. The Cypress Creek citrus grove dates to the late 1980s when that land began being used for commercial production. The tract also has freshwater and forested wetlands and the creek that provides habitat for many other wildlife species including wading birds, reptiles and amphibians. The protected, connected lands also offer safety to several other endangered, threatened or iconic Florida species. Another major environmental organization, Defenders of Wildlife, has scheduled a Panther Outreach Workshop at a wildlife research venue in Venus, in Highlands County, next month to help inform the public about the Florida panthers path to recovery. Members of the group received an email announcing the workshop, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at the Archbold Biological Station at 123 Main Drive in Venus. Those attending will enjoy a complimentary lunch and hear from Florida panther experts, receive infor mation about projects that assist rural res idents in living alongside the big cats, and get Defenders-themed swag. Go to www. defenders.org to sign up to attend. (Disclosure: The writer is a member of both The Nature Conservancy and the De fenders of Wildlife.) Hendry Regional Medical Center Welcomes Lisa Marra, MSN, ARNP-C, a family nurse practitioner! Hendry Regional Convenient Care Center 450 South Main Street, LaBelle. To schedule an appointment call 863-675-2356. Nature Conservancy protects land for panther pathway Photo courtesy of fStop Foundation An automatic camera captured a Flor ida panther prowling its territory in Hendry County.

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8 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee April 5, 2018 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY HENDRY COUNTY STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP (SHIP) PROGRAMHendry County hereby announces that funds for Housing Assistance are available from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program. Fund ing for fiscal year 2016/2017 through fiscal year 2017/18 have been allocated from SHIP. Funds will be made available for first-time homebuyers assistance. Hendry County will be hosting two homeowner orientations to explain the program details and answer questions applicants may have. The first home owner orientation will be conducted on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 5:30 pm at the Hendry County Extension Office, located at 1085 Pratt Boulevard, LaBelle, FL 33975. The second homeowner orientation will be conducted on Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 5:30 pm at the Hendry County Annex Offices, Janet B. Taylor Auditorium, 1100 S. Olympia Street, Clewiston, FL 33440. Individual applications for down payment assistance will be available begin ning on Friday, April 27, 2018 through Friday, May 25, 2018 or until funds are expended. The applications will be available on the Hendry County website and at the Hendry County Housing Department locations at 133 N. Bridge Street, LaBelle, Florida and 1100 S. Olympia Street Clewiston, Florida. Contact the Hendry County Housing at 863-675-5297 or Sabrina.Gadson@hendryfla. net for more information. The program does not reimburse for homes that has already been purchased. The application period is for thirty (30) days, beginning Friday, April 27, 2018 or until all funds have been expended. Applications will be available between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. All applications must be received by the Housing Department, 133 N. Bridge Street, LaBelle, Florida by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 25, 2018. Pick up/drop off time for the Clewiston office is as follows: Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm and 9:00 am until 4:00 pm Thurs day and Friday. Pick up/drop off times for the Labelle office is as follows: Monday through Wednesday 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Thursday and Friday 9:00 am until 12:00 pm. All SHIP assistance recipients must agree to comply with all SHIP Program criteria and requirements as set forth in Chapter 67-37, Florida Administrative Code and are frequently modified and amended. The Hendry County Board of County Commissioners reserves the right to close any program application period by Board resolution. Hendry County SHIP programs do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status, disability, age or any other protected classes. HENDRY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS A FAIR HOUSING, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, AND DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE JURISDICTION485015 CN/CB 3/22,29;4/5,12,19/2018 Hendry County Clerk of Court is seeking applications for Staff Accountant Staff Accountant job duties: Maintains and balances an automated consolidation system by imputing data, scheduling required jobs, verifying data Analyzes information and options by developing spreadsheet reports, verifying information Prepares general ledger entries by maintaining records and files, reconciling accounts Prepares payments by accruing expenses, assigning account numbers, requesting disbursements, reconciling accounts Answers accounting and financial questions by researching and interpreting data Protects organizations value by keeping information confidential Accomplishes accounting and organization mission by completing related results as needed Requires a BS Degree in Accounting or 5 years of ac counting experience. Please send resumes to: Clerk of Court, PO Box 1760, LaBelle, FL 33975, Attention: Finance Director Public Notice Public Notice CITY OF SOUTH BAY Advertisement for Invitation To Bid Modernization of Parks and Recreational Facilities Bids for Modernization of Parks and Recreational Facilities must be submitted to the City of South Bay at the Office of the City Clerk, 335 SW 2nd Avenue, South Bay, Florida 33493, by Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 4:00 PM and opened immediately thereafter. Any bids received after the designated closing time will be returned unopened. The purpose of this Invitation To Bid is to seek service of a qualified, licensed professional contractor to provide construction services to the City of South Bay for the for Modernization of Parks and Recreational Facilities. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 10:00 AM at Commission Chambers 335 SW 2nd Avenue, South Bay, FL 33493. An original and five (5) copies of the bid, a total of six (6), plus 1 copy of the bid on CD in PDF format must be submitted in sealed envelopes/packages addressed to Jessica Figueroa, City Clerk, City of South Bay, Florida, and marked Modernization of Parks and Recreational Facilities. Proposers desiring information for use in preparing bids may obtain from the Clerks Office, 335 SW 2nd Avenue, South Bay, Florida 33493, Telephone (561) 9966751 or copies of the ITB NO: 2018 03; requirements may also be obtained by visiting the Citys website at www.southbaycity.com, The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids and to waive any technicalities or irregularities therein. Contract award shall be made to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder. Proposers may not withdraw their bid for a period of ninety (90) days from the date set for the opening thereof. Funding for this project is provided through Palm Beach Countys Department of Housing & Economic Sustainability with funds provided by the U. S. Depart ment of Housing & Urban Development. This project requires compliance with the Davis-Bacon and Related Act whereby all laborers and mechanics are required to receive the prevailing wage rates as contained in the bid documents. All MBEs, WBEs, SBEs and Section 3 businesses are encouraged to participate in the project. Jessica Figueroa, City Clerk 253148 CGS 4/5/2018 R oo ng R oo ng Metal Roofs Re-Roofs Roof Repairs Seamless Gutters Soffit & Fascia Free Estimates Lic# CCC037019 981 Cowboy Circle Office (863)675-7045 Fax (863)612-1158 Lic#CCC1325950 Ofce: (863) 675-7045 1050 Commerce Dr. Suite B. Fax (863) 612-1158 Public Notice Public Notice NOTICE OF WORKSHOP OF THE CENTRAL COUNTY WATER CONTROL DISTRICT Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of the Central County Water Control District will hold a workshop on 475 S. Cabbage Palm Street. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL AID OR SERVICES AS ADDRESSED IN THE AMERICAN DISABILI TIES ACT, PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT CLERKS OFFICE AT (863)983-5797, NO LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS PRIOR TO THE ABOVE STATED DATE. CENTRAL COUNTY WATER CONTROL DISTRICT 253379 CN 04/05/2018 Employment Full Time Employment Full Time Mechanic for Ag Operations in Belle Glade, FL Lost MINIATURE YORKIE, Grey & White, female... My name is peanut and I am lost. My mom and dad miss me and are very sad. If you find me there is a $200 reward. Please call 561-6925660 Miscellaneous Notices Contractor Needed that is licensed and insured to build a Preschool. Must be experienced with references or portfolio of work completed. Please send information to: P.O. Box 433, Pahokee, Florida 33476 or abidingfaith. krobertson@gmail.com Attention: Shirley or KR Employment Full Time Central County Water Control District is seeking a fulltime secretary. Must have a High School diploma or general education degree. Microsoft Office Suite experience needed. Must be bilingualEnglish/ Spanish. This is a drug free workplace, and an equal opportunity employer. Pick up application at: 475 S. Cabbage Street, Montura Ranch Estates. Monday Thursday 7am 4pm. Position will be open until filled. Business Opportunities NOTICE Independent Newspa pers will never accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises of guaranteed income from work-athome programs if it sounds too good to be true, chances are that it is. If you have questions or doubts about any ad on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Better Business Bureau at 772878-2010 for previous complaints. Some 800 and 900 telephone numbers may require an extra charge, as well as long distance toll costs. We will do our best to alert our reader of these charges in the ads, but occasionally we may not be aware of the charges. Therefore, if you call a number out of your area, use caution. Apartments LAKEPORT APARTMENT, 1ST FLOOR, FURNISHED 2BD/1BA, SCREENED IN FRONT PORCH, YARD. $800.00 MONTHLY, 1ST & SECURITY. CALL 863532-5073 Houses Rent Owner Financing Furnished, 1100 sq. ft., 2br /1ba, 30ft. bulk headed water front, 55 plus, Buckhead Ridge Turtle Cove, unit 62. $79K or rent $700/mo. Call Van 772-519-0962 Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE CLEWISTON TOWING & AUTO SALVAGE gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 04/16//2018 10:00 a.m. at 600 E. SUGARLAND HWY Clewiston, FL 33440-3213, pursuant to subsection 713.78 of the Florida Statutes. CLEW ISTON TOWING & AUTO SALVAGE reserves the right to accept 2003 MITS 4A3AE55H63E064033 2013 CHRYSLER 1C3CCBBB3DN656138 2000 HONDA 2HGEJ6615YH557209 2002 TOYT 4T1BE32K52U539683 2000 NISS JN1CA31A6YT215995 253149 CN 4/5/2018 ADVERTISE and Get Results! http://delmarvaclassieds.newszap.com READING A NEWSPAPER HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND YOU. rrfrn t rrfrn brrn trr rrfrfrntr rrfr f r rr rrrfrnf r r frrfr fr frr rrfrn rr rrfrn f f rrfrn rr r rrfrnfr rr r r rrr rrfrnrrr rr nr r rrfrn r rr n r rr rrf tff r rrfrn tfr rrfr rrfr rrrrfrr rn r r rrr fr rr rr f rrfrn r rr rrfrn rn f rn f rrrfrn frr r rrfn rf ffn frrfrn

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April 5, 2018 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee 7 By Chris FelkerGlades County Democrat Nature Conservancy Magazines Spring 2018 edition announces a recently estab lished conservation easement on some Glades County land along the northern bank of the Caloosahatchee River, in an area where a female Florida panther was seen last year with two kittens. That was the rst sighting in more than 40 years, according to wildlife agency ofcials. An easement established in October for the 460-acre Cypress Creek Grove property, owned by Falcon Eyrie Farms LC, marks a bundle of rsts for the Nature Conservancy (NC), which already protects, controls or owns several parcels in Florida including the Blowing Rocks Preserve on Jupiter Island. This conservation easement forever safe guards the land from urban development. Cypress Creek Grove is the rst working citrus farm in the state to commit to protec tion of the endangered panther by helping to establish corridors, or pathways, connecting the felines habitat and enhancing the pan ther populations long-term recovery and survivability, the NC says. Fewer than 200 of the endangered cats are estimated to remain in the states wildlands, and they continue to be threatened by loss of habitat, development on their rangelands and vehicle strikes. It is also the rst protected tract of land within the identied panther corridor north of the river, and the rst conservation easement in that corridor nanced entirely by NC member donations. The property is within an area that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have reported is important to panther habitat connectivity and expansion, according to the NC. The animal requires wide territory to support a healthy breeding population, and suitable lands in Glades and Hendry counties link panthers larger Southwest Florida habitat with wild areas north of the Caloosahatchee. Now, expanded habitat is just a brief swim away for the cats south of the river, as Cypress Creek Grove is directly across the Caloosahatchee from the 1,257-acre Lone Ranger Forge/American Prime property. It is also protected by a conservation easement with the NC and other ones with state and federal agencies. The southern border of that land abuts the 1,527-acre Black Boar Ranch, which is under NC easement pro tection as well with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Those three easements ensure into perpetuity that 3,244 acres of prime Florida panther habitat remain intact. Also, on the northern end, the panther pathway leads into lands identied for future conservation by the Florida Forever program, including an area directly connected that is high on that programs priority list for acquisition, the NC says. The Nature Conservancy has been working for more than 20 years to create a connected, protected corridor that can support Florida panther recovery, said Temperince Morgan, executive director of the NC in Florida. Cypress Creek Grove is a key piece of the mosaic of natural and working lands that make up the corridor. The Cypress Creek citrus grove dates to the late 1980s when that land began being used for commercial production. The tract also has freshwater and forested wetlands and the creek that provides habitat for many other wildlife species including wading birds, reptiles and amphibians. The protected, connected lands also offer safety to several other endangered, threatened or iconic Florida species. Another major environmental organization, Defenders of Wildlife, has scheduled a Panther Outreach Workshop at a wildlife research venue in Venus, in Highlands County, next month to help inform the public about the Florida panthers path to recovery. Members of the group received an email announcing the workshop, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at the Archbold Biological Station at 123 Main Drive in Venus. Those attending will enjoy a complimentary lunch and hear from Florida panther experts, receive infor mation about projects that assist rural res idents in living alongside the big cats, and get Defenders-themed swag. Go to www. defenders.org to sign up to attend. (Disclosure: The writer is a member of both The Nature Conservancy and the De fenders of Wildlife.) Hendry Regional Medical Center Welcomes Lisa Marra, MSN, ARNP-C, a family nurse practitioner! Hendry Regional Convenient Care Center 450 South Main Street, LaBelle. To schedule an appointment call 863-675-2356. Nature Conservancy protects land for panther pathway Photo courtesy of fStop Foundation An automatic camera captured a Flor ida panther prowling its territory in Hendry County.

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10 Serving the communities south of Lake Okeechobee April 5, 2018 Cheryl Eby Gutjahr (863) 228-1562 Anabel Miranda (863) 228 6296 EspaolCurt Thompson (863) 677-1064 (863) 983-8559 528 E. Sugarland Hwy. Clewiston, FL See our other listings at www.rawlsrealestate.comCLEWISTON HOMES / MOBILE HOMES 4/4 4155 Pioneer 13th Street $149K 4/3.5 Large lot w/pool 1205 Pinewood $439,9K 2/2 MH 551 Fleetwood St. $55K Reduced 53,9K 3/1 Cottage Style, updated 420 W. Circle $139K $119,9K 1900 Ridgill Rd 2/2 $96K (waterfront) SOLD 825 S.Quebrada 3/2, granite upgrades $195K 909 Sawgrass St. 4/3 w/pool & theatre room $269K PENDING 428 E. Pasadena 2/2 w/apt, that is 2/2 $149K PENDING 565 Gratton Rd. 2.84 ac, $89K RENTALS RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL 2BR/1BA, (1) Unit, 550 S. Lopez., $650 mo ACREAGE, LAND & LOTS MOORE HAVEN / LAKEPORT/SEBRING 2/2 Waterfront/Lake Access Lowry Ln CBS $174,9K 2/2 with large workshop, 1370 Ted Beck Rd. $82,5K 1016 Glover Ln 3/2 $89k (lake access) Res. Lot 402 Pinecrest, Moore Haven $7K 8 Buildable lots available in Sky Valley, Clewiston Starting at $19K 2755 Milum Dr. Lakeport, Fl 3.18 ac. Lake Access, Waterfront, MAKE OFFER! $175K 28 ac. Hwy 27 Frontage $9,9K per acre, Venus, FL 77 ac. $7,9K per acre, Venus, FL 10 ac. $9,9K per acre, Venus, FL 901 Yacht Club Way $8,9K COMMERCIAL / INVESTMENT PROPERTY lndustrial Park 3013 C.R. 835 (Open storage and Warehouse) Call for details 516 E Sugarland Hwy $59,9K Fishing Getaway w/Lake Access only $89K REAL ESTATE DIRECTORY Special to the Glades County Democrat SEBRING Highlands Hammock State Park will be celebrating the legacy of Earth Day on Saturday, April 7. The event is sched uled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in conjunction with Earth Day, which is ofcially April 22. Said State Park Ranger Laura McMullen, It is an educational day to learn about local government agencies and nonprot envi ronmental organizations that are working to make a difference in our communities and for our Earth. The Florida Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Big Cypress Na tional Preserve and several others are repre sentative government agencies. Bok Tower Gardens and environmental organizations such as Archbold Biological Research Sta tion, Defenders of Wildlife and the Florida Trails Association are among the exhibitors who will be distributing educational materi als at their displays. The parks interpretive collection of skulls, shells, tracks, snake skins, bones and other objects that visitors might see in the park, commonly known as the Exploration Sta tion, is located in the overow eld behind the Ranger Station. Visitors are encouraged to stop by this exhibit upon arrival or before departing the event. It is easily accessed by walking the boardwalk between the picnic area entrance and the campground. Nature walks on the Cypress Swamp Trail are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with volunteer naturalists Brian and Susan Woodworth. According to Park Services Specialist Carla Sherwin, Cypress Swamp has only recently opened after closure due to heavy damage from Hurricane Irma, so this is a wonderful opportunity for those who have missed walking this boardwalk. Many of the activities focus on children and include the newly launched Saturday Kids Discovery Nature Walk from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the Wild Orange Trail behind the Hammock Inn. Following this hike, Ranger Laura will formally introduce the Junior Ranger Program. Her presentation takes approximately one hour and focuses on recreation, natural resources, cultural resources and service. Youth ages 7-13 may begin working on activities to become Junior Rangers, and younger children may participate with the assistance of a parent. We very much hope that families will plan to spend a part of their Saturday at the park, Ms. McMullen stated. She added, All children who complete the Saturday Kids Walk or the CCC Museum History Detective Scavenger Hunt will receive a free pair of beginner binoculars. Woodlands Wonders, a wildlife rehabilitation facility whose mission is to provide care and treatment for injured, ill and orphaned wildlife, will be in the park from 10 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Visitors may observe birds of prey and other animals close up in the Otter Pavilion and learn about how they are released back into the wild. Earth Day highlights also include three speaker presentations that will be held on the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum stage. Florida Forestry staff will explain re ecology, prescribed burns and being Firewise in Florida at 11 a.m. Defenders of Wildlife team member Dr. Jennifer Korn, will speak about the endangered Florida Panther at 11:30 a.m. Museum Curator David Schmidt will reveal the origins of the historic land preservation of Highlands Hammock and Archbold Biological Research Station in a presentation at 1 p.m. Special featured guest artist and eco-tour operator, Kristen Hanson, will be conducting Paint for the Park art workshops in the Alligator Pavilion. The workshops, which are 90 minutes, will be held at 10 a.m. and noon. Hanson will provide instruction in painting a Florida scrub jay and a gopher tortoise with acrylics. A $15 fee covers the cost of sup plies and includes a $5 donation to the park via the Friends of Highlands Hammock Inc. Advance registration is requested by calling the Ranger Station at 863-386-6094 ext. 0, to sign up, as participation is limited to approx imately 20 individuals per session. Park entrance fees of $6 per vehicle (up to eight people) and $4 per single occupant vehicle apply. Visitors who bicycle into the park or walk in on foot pay a $2 entry. There are no additional fees other than the art workshop. Highlands Hammock is located at 5931 Hammock Road in Sebring. Highlands Hammock announces Earth Day event SHINE provides free, unbi ased, condential insurance counseling services to Medi care beneciariesArea Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida FORT MYERS SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is announcing an exciting and rewarding opportunity to make a difference in the lives of elders and people with disabilities in Southwest Flori da. The SHINE Program is seeking volun teers to assist Medicare beneciaries and their families. SHINE is an award-winning information and counseling program that is adminis tered by the Florida Department of Elder Af fairs and operated locally by the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL). SHINE volunteer counselors provide free, unbiased, condential Medicare counseling and other health insurance counseling and information to help Medicare beneciaries, their families, and caregivers understand their healthcare options. SHINE volunteers have the opportunity to perform a variety of functions, including providing counseling on Medicare, Med icaid, health insurance, prescription drug plans and long-term care planning. SHINE volunteers may also deliver educational pre sentations in the community and participate in health fairs and outreach events. In 2017, 60 local SHINE volunteers helped more than 9,400 clients in Southwest Florida. In total, the AAASWFL SHINE volunteers provided more than 5,750 hours of counseling last year. Requirements to become a SHINE volunteer include an interest in assisting seniors and people with disabilities, along with basic computer knowledge and internet navigation skills. A background in health care or insurance is not required. Specialized training and informational materials are provided to all SHINE volunteers. The ability to speak Spanish or other languages is helpful, but not necessary. Potential SHINE volunteers may contact Camilita Aldridge, SHINE liaison, at 239-6526900 for more information about volunteer opportunities or to apply. Volunteer applications can also be found at the State of Floridas SHINE website at www.oridashine. org. The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida is a nonprot organization serving Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota counties. AAASWFL is the states designated Aging and Disability Resource Center for Southwest Florida. The organization is committed to helping adults ages 60 or older and people with disabilities to live with independence and dignity in their own homes and communities. More information is available at www. aaasw.org or by calling the toll-free Helpline at 866-413-5337 (866-41-ELDER). SHINE Medicare counseling program seeks volunteers Special to the Glades County Democrat/ Defenders of WildlifeDefenders of Wildlife team member Dr. Jennifer Korn will speak about the endangered Florida panther at 11:30 a.m.